Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z
Erba
[AIR-ba] Grass, as in your lawn, but also used for marijuana, exactly as in English.
Tag Archives: Italian language
Italian Slang: F
Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z
Fancazzista
[fahn-cahz-ZEES-tah] Someone who doesn’t do shit; derived from cazzo.
Farabutto
[FAR-a-boot-toe] Sly person.
Farsi
[FAR-see] Reflexive form of fare, “to do”, in slang used as “to make out with” or “hook up with”: Si e’ fatto la Giulia = “He hooked up with Giulia”.
Can also be used with reference to doing drugs.
Fattone
[FAHT-tone-ay] Stoner. Probably derived from the fact that fatto (literally, “done”) is used to mean “stoned”. The female equivalent is fattona.
Fica
[FEE-ca] Cunt. Of course, there are many other words for it. Not to be confused with fico – fig.
Ficcare
[feek-KAR-ay] To put something into something. You can use this in polite company in this way, however:
- In Sicily, it’s slang for fuck (as a verb).
- Everywhere, ficcare il naso – to stick one’s nose in – is to fail to mind one’s own business. Hence ficcanaso, a busybody, someone who interferes where not welcome.
Figa
[FEE-ga] Noun – variant of fica.
Figa di Legno / d’Oro
[FEE-ga di LAIN-yo / doro] “Cunt of wood/gold.” Used of a woman who gives herself airs, as if Pensa di averla solo lei – “She thinks she’s the only woman to have one.”
Figo/Figa
[FEE-go] Adjective – Used to mean good-looking, like the American “hot,” hence also figone – a male hottie. (I guess the female equivalent would be figona, but that doesn’t seem to be used, probably because it would also mean “big cunt”. Use, instead, bella figa – “beautiful cunt”.) Figo is also used in the American sense of “cool” – Che figo! “That’s so cool!” Also strafigo – way hot. Also farsi fighe/i – to make oneself hot, get dressed up, act cool.
Here’s a whole song about being figo.
Figata
[fee-GAH-ta] Something great or wonderful. Questa nuova macchina e’ una vera figata – “This new car is great!” Contrast with cazzata.
Finocchio
[fin-NOCK-yo] Literally, fennel (the vegetable, very commonly eaten in Italy), but also slang for a gay man. Sometimes also a surname.
Fondelli, preso per i
[fon-DEL-li, pray-zo pair ee] Grabbed/held by the short hairs. While in English this used metaphorically to mean you are in a situation you have no control over, in Italian it means you’ve been (metaphorically) screwed.
Fottere
[FOT-ter-ray] To fuck. Most often used in Siamo fottuti – “We’re fucked,” which exactly reflects the American sense of that phrase. You can also use Non me ne fotte niente, just like Non me ne frega niente, or, ruder still, Non me ne fotte un cazzo.
Fregare
[freh-GAR-ay] To cheat (somebody). One of the most commonly-used words in the Italian language – which tells you something. Not rude – you can use this anytime.
- L’ho fregato – “I cheated him”, also used in the sense of “I fooled him.”
- Ho preso una fregatura – “I took a cheating” – that is, “I was cheated.”
- Also used in Non me ne frega niente – “I don’t give a damn.” For a politer version, use Non m’importa niente (“It has no importance to me”). For a ruder version, use Non mi caga niente (“I don’t give a shit”). For a still ruder version, say Non me ne frega un cazzo (“I don’t care a dick” – which seems odd: men usually care a lot about their dicks!).
- You can use the apparent opposite – me ne frego – to obtain exactly the same sense (just as in English “I couldn’t care less” and “I could care less” both mean that you don’t care at all). Hence menefreghista.
Fregna
[FRAYN-ya] = figa
Fresco
[FRESS-co] Adjective meaning “fresh” or “cool”, e.g. una bibita fresca – “a cool drink.” This usage is not slang. However, al fresco is slang for “in prison” – similar to the somewhat antique English usage “in the cooler.” So Italians do NOT speak of “dining al fresco,” and might wonder what you mean by it.
Fricchettone
[FRIK-ket-TONE-ay] A term dating back to the 1960s (and no longer in popular use) for a long-haired hippie freak, probably derived from the English freak plus the Italian ending -one meaning “great big”.
Frocio
[FROH-cho] Rude term for a gay man. July 18, 2006 – The Italian Court of Cassation has ruled it a crime to use this term pejoratively. (I don’t know how else you would use it. While in the US “queer” is acceptable when used by one gay person of or to another, this is not true of frocio in Italy.)
Fungoo
A degenerate American form of vaffanculo.
Furbo
[FOOR-boh] As an adjective, “clever” or “sly,” or used as a noun applied to a person or action having those qualities. This word is not particularly rude, in fact, many Italians pride themselves on their furbizia (slyness, knack for getting away with things) and, when not the direct victims of a ripoff, may admiringly state that someone else has been furbo. Plural is furbi.
You might also like:
Italian Slang: I
Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z
Incazzato/a
[in-caht-ZAH-toh / ah] Derived from cazzo, used to mean extremely pissed off (masculine/feminine).
- Incazzato nero / incazzata nera – “Pissed off black” (masc./fem.). (No, this has nothing to do with race. Maybe when you’re really pissed off you’re black in the face?)
Inculare
[in-coo-LAHR-ay] To put into (someone’s ass) . Used like to (figuratively) screw someone (to cheat, trick, get the better of in a nasty way). See culo (ass) and fare un culo cosi’.
You might also like:
Italian Slang: G
Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z
Gesu’
[jeh-ZOO] Jesus, sometimes used as an exclamation of shock.
Gnocca
[NYOCK-ah] Cute slang for vagina, but also used to indicate a hot female.
top photo: Laila sei la + gnocca
+ is pronounced piu’ [PYOO] – “plus” (as in addition) but the word also means “more” or “most”, so: “Laila, you’re the hottest”.
Godere
[go-DARE-ay] To enjoy, but most often used for orgasm.
Photo below: Io godo (“I enjoy/I’m coming” implies that the woman is feeling orgasmic over the whiskey. (From an exhibition of advertising that was banned as too rude or provocative in its day, which was on show at Milan’s Central Station.)
Goldone
[goal-DOAN-ay] Condom.
A more formal word for condom, e.g. if you want to buy one at the pharmacy, is preservativo. This is fraught with peril for foreigners when discussing packaged foods. In such a context, a native English-speaker might instinctively reach for a word for “preservatives,” and make a very embarassing mistake: such foods do not contain preservativi, but conservanti. (Although, come to think of it, finding a preservativo in your cereal box could be interesting or disgusting, depending how it’s presented…)
BTW, you can usually buy condoms at the supermarket as well – look in the stands near the checkout. And no one will be embarassed if you buy them. They come in all sorts of styles and flavors, there are even brands marketed specifically to youth. Result? Very low rates of teenage pregnancy.
You might also like:
Italian Slang: L
Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z
Leccaculo
[LEK-ah-COOL-oh] leccare “to lick” + culo = “Ass licker”, what Americans would call a brown-noser. A variant is leccachiappe [LEK-ah-KYAHP-pay] – butt cheeks licker.
Lumare
[loo-MAR-ray] To ogle. (Northern/Lombard/Milanese.)